The Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group works to help people whose rights have been violated and investigates cases involving such abuse, as well as assessing the overall human rights situation in Ukraine. The Group also seeks to develop awareness of human rights issues through public events and its various publications

The Chief Editor of OBZOR.lg.ua, Viacheslav Bondarenko and his colleague, a streamer for Spilno.tv, Maxim Osovsky were stopped by the so-called separatists at a checkpoint in the town of Shchastye in Luhansk oblast on Sunday evening.

They, and their taxi driver, Andrei Titovky were seized, although Titovsky was later released. The two journalists are believed to be in the Luhansk SBU building which is under militant control. The main objection from the gunmen seems to have been the Ukrainian flag found inside the car.

The two journalists had been reporting on the situation for the Luhansk region as regards the presidential elections. As reported, the vast majority of polling stations in the region were unable to open because of very serious threats against election commission members and attacks by armed pro-Russian militants.